The Nintendo Download – 11/22/12

With the recent launch of the new Wii U console, it’s a big, big week for the Nintendo Download. But before we get into the new system’s available titles, here’s what’s happening with its older siblings.

Kicking things off is Crashmo for $8.99. It’s the sequel to last year’s hugely popular downloadable title Pushmo, whose review you can find here, wherein I gave it top marks. And from what I played of it at the recent Nintendo holiday event, you can expect more of the same great quality, but with new options and abilities for puzzle-solving.

Originally released for the Nintendo 3DS as a part of the Ambassador Program, 1988’s hit Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is now available to the masses at a price of $4.99. Those who have it already as part of said program should now be able to get new features such as save states, which will undoubtedly help anyone who was deterred by the game’s steep challenge and oldschool mechanics.

I’m not sure whether I’ll get a chance to review this one soon or not, but Zelda II remains one of my favorites in the series. It’s a drastic departure from the original game which preceded it, yet vastly expands the world of Hyrule in a glorious fashion while combat is sort of like a 2D version of the shield-and-swordplay experienced in the series’ most recent incarnation, Skyward Sword.

Available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop for $7.99 and Nintendo DSiWare for 800 DSi Points each, Spirit Hunters Inc.: Light and Spirit Hunters Inc.: Shadow are two halves of a whole game, Pokémon-style. Both are Augmented Reality games which have you use your system’s camera to scan the real world to hunt for, battle, and capture as many of the 96 spirits as possible, with six unique to each version. With the Challenge system, you can exchange codes with friends to unlock the entire lot.

So yeah, a lot like a supernatural AR Pokémon, but who says that’s a bad thing?

The first Mahjongg game in the Nintendo 3DS eShop is $4.99, and features two game versions. There is also an Adventure Mode with over 200 levels through which you can unlock tiles, backgrounds, etc., which can be used in Free Play to create your own custom levels.

Another of the myriad fighting games which defined video gaming in the 90s, 1996’s Ninja Master’s is a release for the Wii Virtual Console which will cost 900 Wii Points. This one stands out by allowing its 10 different characters to use a wide variety of weapons, or engage in unarmed combat, with strategies changing accordingly all the while. ‘There are also many must-see deadly techniques like “Super Death Blow”, “Ultimate Super Mode”, “Dark Super Power” and “Dark Combo!”‘ says the blurb.

On November 27th next week, Nintendo Video will present the Meat or Die episode “Gisele,” in which the dinos resort to their old tricks when their attempts at romance go awry.

Finally, the following mix of retail and download-only releases recently became available in the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U:

Also added are Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus which, while being default options on the Wii U’s menu, we are told are not available in Canada (feel free to try, though). I’m not sure about ESPN Sports Connection, either, but if you get any of these three to work, feel free to let me know and I’ll pass on the word here.

That’s a wrap for another week. To find more screens, videos, and information on each of this week’s releases, click each of the relevant links above.